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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"If you wish to succeed in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius." ~ Joseph Addison, Essayist, Poet, Playwright and Politician
Trending: Red-hot Cubs find themselves on Sports Illustrated cover again. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
Trending: Red-hot Cubs find themselves on Sports Illustrated cover again. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
Trending: Bears announce signings of seven draftees, 10 more rookie free agents. (See the football section for Bears updates).
Trending: THE PLAYERS: Preview and Ranks. (See the golf section for PGA updates).
Trending: Cubs and White Sox road to the "World Series".
Cubs 2016 Record: 25-6
White Sox 2016 Record: 23-11
(See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! These 4 sleeper teams are poised to break into the 2016 NFL playoffs.
By Steven Ruiz
1. San Diego Chargers, 2015 record: 4-12
Why they’ll make it:
The Chargers need a break. OK, maybe that’s not the best way to put it with the horrible injury luck this team has suffered through these last two season. After nearly the entire team went on Injured Reserve in 2014 (that’s a slight exaggeration), San Diego sent another 15 players to IR in 2015. And despite all of that misfortune, the Chargers were actually a pretty competitive team. They might have finished 4-12 but nine of those losses were by eight points or less.
The team isn’t banking on a reversal of fortune alone. The Chargers had a productive offseason, bolstering both the offensive and defensive lines. Ken Whisenhunt is back as offensive coordinator after a two-year hiatus, which should help Philip Rivers get back to playing like the MVP candidate he was back in 2014. This team is a lot better than it was a year ago, and there’s no way this run of rotten luck continues, right?
Why they won’t:
Rivers is old and his game could go through a Peyton Manning-like deterioration at an moment. The offensive line might be stronger but it still has the potential for disaster. And maybe the team isn’t really unlucky when it comes to injuries; what if it’s just a fragile bunch?
2. Chicago Bears, 2015 record: 6-10
(Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)
Why they’ll make it:
Give John Fox two years, and he’ll produce a playoff team. That’s how it gone down for him in past coaching stops when Fox pushed the Panthers to the Super Bowl and the Broncos to the best record in the AFC in Year 2. Both teams were built on a strong defense, and Chicago has enough talent on that side of the ball to produce a playoff push. The front-seven is looking awfully good after the additions of linebackers Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman. Defensive tackle Eddie Goldman grew into a destructive force over the course of a productive rookie season. And with Lamarr Houston, Pernell McPhee and rookie Leonard Floyd coming off the edge, the pass rush should be much improved. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has more than enough pieces to put together a top-10 unit.
Chicago was another team that had poor luck in close games a season ago. The Bears lost both of their overtime games and three others by a field goal or less. In an alternate universe, last year’s Bears are one of those teams that wins every close game and crashes the playoff party. And the roster has only gotten better in the meantime.
Why they won’t:
Chicago will have a good-to-great defense — I have no doubt about that. But who knows what to expect from the offense after play-caller Adam Gase, who rejuvenated Jay Cutler in 2015, left to take the head job in Miami. If the Bears miss out on the postseason, the offense will be the reason.
3. Detroit Lions, 2015 record: 7-9
Why they’ll make it:
If you just ignore the first half of the 2015 season, the Lions looked like a playoff contender. They finished the season 6-3 after turning the offensive play-calling duties over to the immortal Jim Bob Cooter. And maybe the refs won’t be so tough on Detroit in 2016 after the debacles in Seattle and against Green Bay on Thursday Night Football cost the Lions games.
The team lost star receiver Calvin Johnson to retirement, but I’d say the offseason was a net-positive. Free agent pickup Marvin Jones will replace a good chunk of Johnson’s production and the running game, which ranked dead last in 2015, can only get better. New GM Bob Quinn went to work on the offensive and defensive lines in the draft, which, while not the sexiest moves, should pay immediate dividends.
Why they won’t:
The NFC North is going to be a war in 2015. The Packers and Vikings were playoff teams a year ago and should only be better. We also have the Bears as a potential playoff team on this list. All four teams can’t make it, and a wild card spot may be difficult to grab if the teams are beating up on each other all season.
4. Oakland Raiders, 2015 record: 7-9
Why they’ll make it:
GM Reggie McKenzie’s brilliant work is finally starting to pay off. This is a playoff-caliber roster, and one that could do some damage if the team’s offensive stars continue to develop. Derek Carr was a top quarterback over the first two months of the season before fading down the stretch. Receiver Amari Cooper came into the league as a polished route-runner but had a case of the drops. And Latavius Murray still needs to prove he’s a workhorse back. All three have plenty of room to grow in 2016, and there’s no reason to believe they won’t.
The defense will surely be better this season. The secondary has been completely overhauled, with free agents Reggie Nelson and Sean Smith joining the fray, as well as rookie safety Karl Joseph. The one holdover is cornerback David Amerson, who is starting realize his potential after leaving Washington. And, oh yeah, All-Pro linebacker/defensive end (he made the All-Pro team at both positions) Kalil Mack might actually be a monster — a running game-wrecking, quarterback-devouring monster who will challenge for the Defensive Player of the Year award. This team is stacked from top-to-bottom.
Why they won’t:
Well, it’s stacked on paper, at least. The secondary hasn’t played a down together and it takes time to build chemistry. The pass rush is also a question mark, so there’s certainly a chance the defense underwhelms. And what if Carr looks more like the player he was in the second half of last season, when he produced only two games with a passer rating over 80? It’s still far too early in Carr’s development to expect consistently good play throughout a 16-game schedule.
These 8 teams improved the most in their divisions this offseason: AFC East, Miami Dolphins; NFC East, Philadelphia Eagles; AFC North, Cleveland Browns; NFC North, Chicago Bears; AFC South, Jacksonville Jaguars; NFC South Tampa Bay Buccaneers; AFC WEST, Oakland Raiders; NFC West, Los Angeles Raiders. Here is the excerpt from this article on the Chicago Bears:
By Jordan Plocher
Free agency grade: A-
Key additions: ILB Jerrell Freeman, ILB Danny Trevathan, DE Akiem Hicks, RT Bobby Massie
Key losses: HB Matt Forte, TE Martellus Bennett, DE Jarvis Jenkins, ILB Shea McClellin
Draft grade: A-
Key additions: OLB Leonard Floyd, G Cody Whitehair, DE Jonathan Bullard, ILB Nick Kwiatkoski, S Deon Bush, CB Deiondre’ Hall, RB Jordan Howard, S DeAndre Houston-Carson, WR Daniel Braverman
The Bears got tremendous value early in the draft by adding three of PFF’s top 27 prospects in the class: Leonard Floyd (19), Cody Whitehair (17) and Jonathan Bullard (27). Floyd brings speed, athleticism and pass-rush ability to the Bears’ defense. Both sides of the line of scrimmage were also upgraded, as Cody Whitehair was the top-graded tackle in the draft class (he’ll likely play guard for Chicago), and Bullard was the highest-graded run defender in the country (+51.5). The Bears defense will look very different, as they added six new players to their front seven. The additions of Jerrell Freeman (90.6 overall grade in 2015) and Danny Trevathan (87.5) gave the Bears the two best linebackers in free agency and upgraded the second level of their defense considerably.
The Bears added players to help protect QB Jay Cutler (Whitehair and Bobby Massie), gave Cutler a new slot weapon in Daniel Braverman (a potential seventh-round sleeper), and upgraded their defense with speed and athleticism.
Bears announce signings of seven draftees, 10 more rookie free agents.
CSN Staff
Chicago Bears General Manager, Ryan Pace. (Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Bears have signed seven of their nine selections from this year's draft and 10 re undrafted free agents, the team announced Monday.
The Bears announced that offensive lineman Cody Whitehair, linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, defensive back Deon Bush, defensive back Deiondre’ Hall, running back Jordan Howard, defensive back DeAndre Houston-Carson and wide receiver Daniel Braverman all signed Monday, leaving just first-round pick Leonard Floyd (linebacker) and third-round pick Jonathan Bullard (defensive tackle) unsigned.
The Bears announced that offensive lineman Cody Whitehair, linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, defensive back Deon Bush, defensive back Deiondre’ Hall, running back Jordan Howard, defensive back DeAndre Houston-Carson and wide receiver Daniel Braverman all signed Monday, leaving just first-round pick Leonard Floyd (linebacker) and third-round pick Jonathan Bullard (defensive tackle) unsigned.
In addition to the seven draft picks, the Bears announced the signings of the following 10 undrafted free agents:
— Ben Braunecker, TE, Harvard
— Dan Buchholz, OL, Duquesne
— Taveze Calhoun, DB, Mississippi State
— Don Cherry, LB, Villanova
— Derek Keaton, WR, Georgia Southern
— John Kling, OL, Buffalo
— Darrin Peterson, WR, Liberty
— Kevin Peterson, CB, Oklahoma State
— Roy Robertson-Harris, LB, UTEP
— Joseph Sommers, TE, Wisconsin-Oshkosh
The signings bring the Bears' roster to 90 players.
NFL analyst lauds Jordan Howard pick.
By Larry Mayer
NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein's favorite pick in the fifth round of the NFL Draft was the Bears' selection of Indiana running back
"I'm sure there were some concerns about the injuries that Howard sustained during the season, but he is a talented runner who can handle the heavy lifting for
Howard rushed for 1,213 yards and nine touchdowns on 196 carries and caught 11 passes for 106 yards and one TD last year at Indiana despite missing four games with ankle and knee injuries.
In back-to-back games late in the season, Howard rushed for 174 yards against Iowa and 238 yards versus Michigan, the second most ever by a Wolverines opponent.
The 6-foot. 230-pounder played his first two collegiate seasons at Alabama-Birmingham in 2013-14 before transferring to Indiana after UAB disbanded its football program.
Appearing in 23 games with 16 starts in two years at Alabama-Birmingham, Howard rushed for 2,468 yards and 15 TDs on 451 attempts and caught 13 passes for 155 yards and two TDs.
Zierlein's favorite picks in the other rounds of the draft were Mississippi tackle Laremy Tunsil in Round 1 (13th overall by the Dolphins), Pitt receiver Tyler Boyd in Round 2 (55th by the Bengals), Texas Tech tackle Le'Raven Clark in Round 3 (82nd by the Colts), Western Kentucky Tyler Higbee in Round 4 (110th by the Rams), Southeastern cornerback Harlan Miller in Round 6 (205th by the Cardinals) and Clemson receiver Charone Peake in Round 7 (241st by the Jets).
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Chicago Blackhawks On The Verge Of Interesting Signing.
Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman (Photo/sportsmockery.com)
According to various news outlets, the Chicago Blackhawks are nearing a deal with the Swedish Hockey League’s reigning Goalie of the Year, Lars Johansson. Johansson posted some solid numbers last season including a .927 save percentage and a 1.74 GAA, he’s also only 28 years-old.
It was his third season with Frolunda. Before this campaign, he had appeared in 55 games in two seasons. His goals-against average decreased between his first two seasons from 2.03 to 2.01, while his save percentage went up from .911 to .915. (Blackhawk Up)
This signing could turn out to be quite helpful with Corey Crawford already locked into his deal through 2020 and Scott Darling on the verge of becoming a free agent. Darling only has one year left on his contract and posted a modest 2.58 GAA last season.
The ‘Hawks had a bit of a revolving door in goal with AHL Rockford this season, as four different ‘tenders — Mac Carruth, Michael Leighton, Mark Visentin and Drew MacIntyre — all got games. None of the four are currently under contract for next season. MacIntyre is out of the mix entirely, as he’s since signed in the German League. Leighton and Visentin are pending UFAs, while Carruth is a restricted free agent.
This signing would provide some depth at the goalie position and allow the team to focus more on the apparent defensive needs of the team. Stay tuned.
Cubs hold off Padres as team not blinded by hot start.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Sports Illustrated splashed the Cubs across another regional cover, this time calling them “The Last Great American Sports Story.” There’s Javier Baez, arms raised in triumph, about to jump onto home plate and into the awaiting mosh pit after a walk-off win on Mother’s Day at Wrigley Field.
Sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals – two battle-tested, playoff-caliber teams the Cubs might face in October – heightened the delirious feelings out in the bleachers, on social media and within certain segments of the media.
But Theo Epstein’s job is to ignore the hype and prepare for the crash. Especially when the president of baseball operations watches a 25-6 team exceed even the sky-high preseason expectations.
“This is not baseball reality,” Epstein said before Tuesday’s 8-7 victory over the San Diego Padres. “Baseball reality is it’s really hard to win a single major-league game. That’s why we celebrate it so much.”
The Cubs are handling all phases of the game right now and must be wearing out the new Celebration Room in their tricked-out clubhouse, getting to the middle of May without losing back-to-back games and pushing their run differential to plus-103.
Arguably the most patient, deepest lineup in the game knocked out a rookie starter (Cesar Vargas) after four innings, generating 12 hits and five walks against an overmatched last-place team. Jon Lester (4-1, 1.96 ERA) put together another quality start (six innings, three runs) for a rotation that began the day leading the majors with a 2.26 ERA.
San Diego pinch-hitter Alex Dickerson’s grand slam off Adam Warren with two outs in the eighth inning made it look like a much closer game than it actually felt. Star manager Joe Maddon kept pulling the bullpen levers, using six different relievers to close it out, with Hector Rondon improving to 7-for-7 in save chances.
“We know we’re in a stretch right now where winning seems far easier than it actually is,” Epstein said. “We know there’s going to be a stretch – probably a long stretch this year – where winning even one game seems virtually impossible. That’s just the nature of baseball. We’re not blinded by it.
“We’ve been saying in the office: ‘We’re in a tree right now.’ We want to stay up there as long as we can, but we’re going to get down at some point.”
The Cubs didn’t stop after shocking the baseball world last year, winning 97 games and two playoff rounds and then doubling down by spending almost $290 million on free agents. It should be the same way leading up to and through the trade deadline, knowing this team has a chance to make history.
“We still have vulnerabilities,” Epstein said. “We still have areas where we need to get better. We still have challenges and more adversity to come. We’re going to suffer injuries. We’re going to suffer downturns in performance. We’re going to be stretched thin. We’re going to go through stretches of bad luck. We’re going to go through stretches of bad performance. We’re going to run into really hot teams.
“We want to stay as locked in as we are right now. But the game is very humbling and we’re aware that time is coming when there are going to be great challenges. And we almost look forward to it, because I think that’s when you find out what you’re made of, more so than during the good stretches like the one we’re on right now.”
Red-hot Cubs find themselves on Sports Illustrated cover again.
Sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals – two battle-tested, playoff-caliber teams the Cubs might face in October – heightened the delirious feelings out in the bleachers, on social media and within certain segments of the media.
But Theo Epstein’s job is to ignore the hype and prepare for the crash. Especially when the president of baseball operations watches a 25-6 team exceed even the sky-high preseason expectations.
“This is not baseball reality,” Epstein said before Tuesday’s 8-7 victory over the San Diego Padres. “Baseball reality is it’s really hard to win a single major-league game. That’s why we celebrate it so much.”
The Cubs are handling all phases of the game right now and must be wearing out the new Celebration Room in their tricked-out clubhouse, getting to the middle of May without losing back-to-back games and pushing their run differential to plus-103.
Arguably the most patient, deepest lineup in the game knocked out a rookie starter (Cesar Vargas) after four innings, generating 12 hits and five walks against an overmatched last-place team. Jon Lester (4-1, 1.96 ERA) put together another quality start (six innings, three runs) for a rotation that began the day leading the majors with a 2.26 ERA.
San Diego pinch-hitter Alex Dickerson’s grand slam off Adam Warren with two outs in the eighth inning made it look like a much closer game than it actually felt. Star manager Joe Maddon kept pulling the bullpen levers, using six different relievers to close it out, with Hector Rondon improving to 7-for-7 in save chances.
“We know we’re in a stretch right now where winning seems far easier than it actually is,” Epstein said. “We know there’s going to be a stretch – probably a long stretch this year – where winning even one game seems virtually impossible. That’s just the nature of baseball. We’re not blinded by it.
“We’ve been saying in the office: ‘We’re in a tree right now.’ We want to stay up there as long as we can, but we’re going to get down at some point.”
The Cubs didn’t stop after shocking the baseball world last year, winning 97 games and two playoff rounds and then doubling down by spending almost $290 million on free agents. It should be the same way leading up to and through the trade deadline, knowing this team has a chance to make history.
“We still have vulnerabilities,” Epstein said. “We still have areas where we need to get better. We still have challenges and more adversity to come. We’re going to suffer injuries. We’re going to suffer downturns in performance. We’re going to be stretched thin. We’re going to go through stretches of bad luck. We’re going to go through stretches of bad performance. We’re going to run into really hot teams.
“We want to stay as locked in as we are right now. But the game is very humbling and we’re aware that time is coming when there are going to be great challenges. And we almost look forward to it, because I think that’s when you find out what you’re made of, more so than during the good stretches like the one we’re on right now.”
Red-hot Cubs find themselves on Sports Illustrated cover again.
By Tony Andracki
Memorial Day hasn't even hit yet and we've already seen the Cubs gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated in tandem with talk of a World Series.
Roughly seven weeks after Anthony Rizzo, Jason Heyward, Kris Bryant and Jake Arrieta were pasted on a regional SI cover as part of the 2016 MLB preview, the Cubs' Mother's Day celebration got another regional cover treatment:
It's a fantastic photo capturing arguably the Cubs' best moment of the year - a walk-off winner in the 13th inning while sporting the fun/unique breast cancer apparel.
Roughly seven weeks after Anthony Rizzo, Jason Heyward, Kris Bryant and Jake Arrieta were pasted on a regional SI cover as part of the 2016 MLB preview, the Cubs' Mother's Day celebration got another regional cover treatment:
It's a fantastic photo capturing arguably the Cubs' best moment of the year - a walk-off winner in the 13th inning while sporting the fun/unique breast cancer apparel.
It's also hard to argue with the headline "Just Maybe...Right?" and the smaller summary talking about how Cubs Nation is dreaming of bigger celebrations in October.
How could anybody be thinking anything else but World Series right now with the team off to a hot start unlike anything we've ever seen before?
Baez's walk-off slam was just the final moment in a week that saw the Cubs go 7-0 against the Nationals and Pirates, who just may be the second- and third-best teams in the National League.
The Cubs are so hot, they haven't even batted an eye at the so-called "SI cover jinx," disproving that notion from March's cover (though maybe the Houston Astros absorbed all that negative "jinx" energy from their March cover).
Should we put the over/under at 2.5 for more SI covers the rest of the way?
The Cubs are making a mockery of Major League Baseball. (Article from Business Insider, 05/09/2016).
By Cork Gaines
In baseball, teams can get lucky or unlucky in a single game here and there, so one of the best ways to measure a team is by run differential, or the number of runs they are outscoring their opponents by overall. Using that measure, the Chicago Cubs are doing things on the scoreboard that are unheard of.
Through 30 games, the Cubs have outscored their opponents by 102 runs on their way to a 24-6 record. No other team this season has outscored its opponents by more than 44 runs. To put that in perspective, the Cubs are outscoring their opponents by 3.4 runs a game. The 1927 Yankees, one of the greatest teams ever, outscored their opponents by 2.4 runs a game.
If the Cubs can keep up this pace, they will outscore their opponents this season by 551 runs, or about 140 runs more than any team in the past 25 years. Presumably, the Cubs will slow down, but they are so far ahead of the pace now that they will still most likely wind up as the greatest regular-season team of the past quarter-century.
Cork Gaines/Business Insider
Cubs are Reportedly Interested in Some Huge Offensive Upgrades.
By Jamie Baker
(Photo/chicagostylesports.com)
So you are the Chicago Cubs, just strutting along doing Chicago Cubs like things. You know, like playing .800 baseball, having arguably the best offense and pitching, and getting direction from possibly the game’s best manager (don’t make the World Series argument). If you were a fan you’d think, “this team is perfect!” If you were Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer you’d think, “how can we get even better?”
Mind you, no team in baseball’s history has ever finished a season playing at or above .800 ball – the 1906 Cubs .763 is the highest winning percentage in MLB history. While the Cubs are arguably the best team in baseball right now, it is the front office’s job to ensure they maintain that status all the way to the very last game of the 2016 World Series. Keeping this in mind, there are areas in which the team could see some improvement.
Jim Bowden of ESPN listed out several possible trade targets that the Cubs would be interested in. Each of these guys would be a HUGE upgrade, and help the Chicago Cubs do Chicago Cubs things into late October.
Now let’s dive in…
Carlos Gonzalez
The Cubs had interest in Carlos Gonzalez last season, and why not? CarGo has a career slash line of .291/.347/.522 and his 180 career home runs would look great in Wrigley. While his career splits away from hitter friendly Coors Field might scare some off, he is a solid hitter in today’s game and would be an upgrade over Jorge Soler‘s chilled bat.
Carlos has however always hit in Wrigley, owning a 1.000 OPS, and his 9 HR is the second most he’s hit in an opponent’s ballpark. Impressive since he only plays a series a year in Chicago, while playing nine or more games a year in NL West opponent parks.
Nick Markakis
I’m not going to lie, I have ALWAYS loved Nick Markakis’ bat. In fact, just about every MLB The Show game I buy, I end up trading for Nick to patrol the Wrigley outfield. Currently Nick is in MLB purgatory. The Atlanta Braves are playing awful baseball, and his .294 AVG and .394 OBP is getting wasted. He is a solid, and underappreciated talent in this league.
While he hasn’t done much in the Friendly Confines, he’s only played a total of 12 games here mostly since he had always been an American League guy. And while I’d love him on the Northside, I personally think he fits better on the Southside and on the Chicago White Sox roster.
Josh Reddick
How excited would you be if the Cubs landed Josh Reddick? Not only is he off a crazy weekend which he slashed an amazing .542/.560/.625 with 13 hits in just 24 at-bats, he is just one of those winning ballplayers.
While Josh’s slash line doesn’t jump off the page at you (.254/.315/.437) it is everything that he brings to the ballclub on any given day. Already posting a 1.5 WAR, he is on pace to have the best year of his career. This would be a huge upgrade to Soler’s lack of production in what should be a gigantic opportunity.
Jay Bruce
Jay Bruce would be a tough sell on Chicago Cubs fans. Not only would he be coming from a divisional rival, the Cincinnati Reds, but his play over the past three seasons just have not been stellar. While his bat may still have some pop in it, his .223/.288/.417 slash line and -0.9 WAR over the past three years screams a guy that is past his prime.
Now maybe it’s been looming trade rumors, or playing for a team that has been in a steady decline, but sticking with Soler in left field, even in a platoon role, looks better than acquiring Bruce at this point.
Ryan Braun
Now the big one. Ryan Braun. There are going to be a lot of mixed feelings about bringing Braun to the Cubs. While yes he plays for the Milwaukee Brewers, and has done a lot of damage to the Cubs over the years, Ryan is still one of the premier players in this league. But not only will Cubs fans balk at acquiring him because he plays for a rival, you will be certain that there are fans that will not accept him because of his alleged performance enhancing drug issues.
My feeling is, you don’t have to accept the man because of his past but once you see what he could do on the baseball field you will be ecstatic. While he doesn’t have the personality of a Dennis Rodman, acquiring Ryan will have a similar feel. Here is a guy that’s been a thorn in your side for years, and now all of a sudden you’ll have to cheer for him. And knowing what I know about Ryan Braun, you will be cheering a lot.
Ryan Rua helps Rangers rally past White Sox.
By Associated Press
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Ryan Rua hit a three-run homer to cap a seven-run rally in the eighth inning, and the Texas Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox 13-11 on Tuesday night.
Chicago led 11-6 before Elvis Andrus led off the bottom of the eighth with a single. Pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland singled home a run, Adrian Beltre drove in another with a sacrifice fly and Ian Desmond hit a two-run triple before Rua's homer against Matt Albers (1-1).
Winning pitcher Alex Claudio (1-0) went a career-high 4 1/3 innings. Shawn Tolleson pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th save in 13 opportunities.
Rua had his second homer, two singles and four runs batted in. Desmond and Bryan Holaday each homered and drove in three runs.
Chicago led 11-6 before Elvis Andrus led off the bottom of the eighth with a single. Pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland singled home a run, Adrian Beltre drove in another with a sacrifice fly and Ian Desmond hit a two-run triple before Rua's homer against Matt Albers (1-1).
Winning pitcher Alex Claudio (1-0) went a career-high 4 1/3 innings. Shawn Tolleson pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th save in 13 opportunities.
Rua had his second homer, two singles and four runs batted in. Desmond and Bryan Holaday each homered and drove in three runs.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... NBA MVP Steph Curry just accomplished something Michael Jordan never did.
By Tony Andracki
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Steph Curry now has bragging rights over Michael Jordan.
The Warriors superstar is the first unanimous MVP in NBA history, sweeping all 131 first-place votes.
Jordan won five MVPs in his brilliant career, but the closest he came to being the unanimous winner was four votes shy in 1995-96 (Jordan had 109 of 113 possible first-place votes - 96.4 percent).
Here is how Jordan fared in those other four MVP campaigns:
87-88: 47 of 80 first-place votes (58.8 percent)90-91: 77 of 96 (80.2 percent)91-92: 80 of 96 (83.3 percent)97-98: 92 of 116 (79.3 percent)
Shaquille O'Neal was the closest to being a unanimous MVP, with 120 of 121 first-place votes in his 1999-2000 season (Allen Iverson had the other first-place vote).
In 2014-15, Curry took home 100 of 130 possible first-place votes.
Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Jordan, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, LeBron James and now Curry are the only players to win the MVP Award in consecutive seasons.
The Warriors superstar is the first unanimous MVP in NBA history, sweeping all 131 first-place votes.
Jordan won five MVPs in his brilliant career, but the closest he came to being the unanimous winner was four votes shy in 1995-96 (Jordan had 109 of 113 possible first-place votes - 96.4 percent).
Here is how Jordan fared in those other four MVP campaigns:
87-88: 47 of 80 first-place votes (58.8 percent)90-91: 77 of 96 (80.2 percent)91-92: 80 of 96 (83.3 percent)97-98: 92 of 116 (79.3 percent)
Shaquille O'Neal was the closest to being a unanimous MVP, with 120 of 121 first-place votes in his 1999-2000 season (Allen Iverson had the other first-place vote).
In 2014-15, Curry took home 100 of 130 possible first-place votes.
Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Jordan, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, LeBron James and now Curry are the only players to win the MVP Award in consecutive seasons.
Golf: I got a club for that..... THE PLAYERS: Preview and Ranks.
By Ryan O'Sullivan
The PGA TOUR returns to Florida for the Pete Dye jewel that is the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass and THE PLAYERS Championship. Rickie Fowler is your defending champion. Here is a preview and power ranking to get you off and running with your research for the festivities.
TPC Sawgrass is arguably the second most recognizable layout on the PGA TOUR for the casual and avid golf fan, trailing only Augusta National. The U.S. Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship all rotate venues so, while they carry more prestige, they lack the familiarity of TPC Sawgrass and Augusta National.
The Course
THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass is a par-72 layout of 7,215 yards. It has the expected number of par 3s, 4s and 5s, with three of the par 5s reachable by most of the field.
The comfort of knowing this course allows us some added insight apart from the stat sheet. After plenty of consideration and recollection of countless rounds witnessed at the Stadium Course, the formula for success is actually pretty simple. Instead of spending time on the normally valuable new metrics of strokes gained: whatever, and any or all other algorithms, let’s take it back to the basics.
We know the following to be true:
- The fairways aren’t all that easy to hit, but one must hit them to score well.
- Some of the greens feature odd shapes and offer more contour than many Florida courses often provide.
- There’s Bermuda everywhere, which is not the easiest strain of grass to navigate on and around the greens.
- Traditionally, length hasn’t mattered all that much.
- This is a Pete Dye course.
The Stats Say
That leads me to conclude that the following three stats, oldies but goodies, are the metrics of choice. They are driving accuracy, GIR and scrambling.
In some ways, these stats can be contradictory. For instance, it’s not uncommon for great ball-strikers to be very poor scramblers and vice versa. That could be why so many elite players have a mixed history at TPC Sawgrass.
It’s worth mentioning that this is one of the few courses where driving distance and overall length tend to not matter. Because so many of the elite players in the world happen to be long, since that is usually rewarded, this makes TPC Sawgrass particularly challenging to handicap. This is not the place for Bubba or DJ.
We’ll take all of the course history, current form and statistical prowess into consideration as we spit out this week’s power ranking.
Here we go!
1. Henrik Stenson – The Swede checks as many boxes as any player. He’s made eight of his 10 cuts at TPC Sawgrass. That includes a win, two other top 5s, even another top 10 and a total of seven top 25s. He already has a runner-up on TOUR in 2016 and ranks 11th in driving accuracy and 8th in GIR. His only sin is 162nd in scrambling. I suppose that only matters if he misses the green, right?
2. Sergio Garcia – Another trusted European, the Spaniard has cashed in 14 of 16 attempts with five top-four finishes. That includes a win and two runner-up finishes. This has not been his best season to date, but it isn’t his worst either. Ranks 4th in GIR.
3. Rickie Fowler – The trend is juicy, with a T20-T4 run entering this week tempting every gamer. The biggest question is how he will handle the pressure of defending. He’s been a bit feast-or-famine here; missing half of his six cuts while also scoring the 2015 win and 2012 T2.
4. Russell Knox – This is not a typo. He tied for second in his last start, which happened to be at Pete Dye’s Harbour Town Golf Links. His stats are absolutely sick, ranking 3rd in GIR, 16th in driving accuracy and 20th in scrambling. His past history is trending in the right direction, posting a T34 in 2014 and a T17 last year. He’s almost too perfect.
5. Justin Rose – Fresh off a third-place finish at Quail Hollow, Rose has a mixed record in THE PLAYERS. He’s only made half of his 12 cuts, with a T4 in 2014 easily the best. Ranks 9th in GIR, but the other numbers could be better.
6. Jason Day – The first of several examples of elite players who aren’t necessarily the best fit for TPC Sawgrass. He’s two-for-five on the Stadium Course, with a T6 in 2011 and a T19 in 2013. Day struggles finding fairways, which could explain the inconsistencies. His power is also neutralized.
7. Hideki Matsuyama – Slowly unlocking the keys to success on Dye’s masterpiece, going T23-T17 in his only two attempts. Current form is really good and cracks the top 100 in the major metrics, including 13th in GIR.
8. Jordan Spieth – I was shocked when he followed up a T4 in 2014 with a MC in 2015 at TPC Sawgrass, especially considering he had just won the Masters and was on top of the world. The truth is, his stats don’t line up all that well for this layout. He must rely on solid form and class.
9. Adam Scott – Minus the fact that he isn’t the best scrambler (110) or most accurate driver (163), most of the other factors look favorable. He’s 11-for-14 here, with a win, three total top 10s and six top 25s. Current form has slowed a bit, prompting the fade to the bottom of the top 10.
10. Danny Willett – Missed the cut here in 2015, but we’ll see if his first outing since winning the Masters has him riding high.
11. Rory McIlroy – The third of our show ponies (Day and Spieth) that really doesn’t fit the bill at TPC Sawgrass. He’s made half of his six cuts, but the good news is that he’s cashed in the last three with all going for top 10s. He’s also gone 4-T10-T4 in his last three starts. He’s struggling to find fairways and is only an average scrambler.
12. Zach Johnson – If he’s on, this is a great spot for him. He’s made 10-of-11 cuts, with two top 10s including a T2. Seven of those starts resulted in top 25s.
13. Bill Haas – His weakness is driving distance, which is not a big deal this week. Haas tied for fourth, a career best, in last year’s PLAYERS. Ranks 52nd or better in all three key metrics.
14. Marc Leishman – Top 25s in his last three visits to TPC Sawgrass, the Aussie trends into this week with a MC-T30-T20 run in 2016. Stats check out, led by a 22nd in scrambling.
15. Kevin Na – Returns to the location of his legendary driver yips, but does so with three top 10s, including a T3 in 2009, in tow. He’s a very accurate player and a solid scrambler.
16. Matt Kuchar – He does hard well. Owns five top 20s in 11 trips to TPC Sawgrass.
17. Matthew Fitzpatrick – Young Englishman doesn’t have any history here, but he’s showing a quick learning curve. Particularly tasty was his driving accuracy ranking (9th) coupled with ranking 41st in GIR.
18. David Hearn – Great spot for the Canuck considering he’s entering off a pair of top 20s in his last three starts. He’s made all four of his cuts at TPC Sawgrass, including a T6 in 2014. While the putter is a question mark, everything else checks out.
19. Russell Henley – Made two of his three cuts, both going for top 25s, and is very adept at negotiating Bermuda fairways and greens. Ranks inside the top 55 in driving accuracy, GIR and scrambling.
20. Luke Donald – His T2 at Harbour Town, coupled with a great history at TPC Sawgrass in his prime, landed him the last spot. Ranks 85th in GIR and 8th in scrambling.
Worth a Mention
Jim Furyk – Came back from the DL to miss the cut at Quail Hollow last week. While TPC Sawgrass is traditionally a good fit for the veteran, it may be wise to watch him with interest before investing.
Players Championship 2016: Tee Times, TV Schedule, Prize Money.
By GOLF.com Staff
(Photo/Golf.com)
Players Championship: Golf's Fifth Major Returns to TPC Sawgrass Rickie Fowler will look to defend his title at the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass this week, but he'll have to do so against a deep, talented field. TPC Sawgrass and its iconic island green at 17 await the best field in golf at the Players Championship. Rickie Fowler, coming off a disappointing Sunday at Quail Hollow, returns to defend his title against the Big Three and a deep field of top-tier players.
Fowler tees off at 1:36 p.m. (EST) with Adam Scott and Matt Kuchar, all past winners in Ponte Vedra Beach. World No. 1 Jason Day tees it up at 8:43 a.m. Thursday with Jordan Spieth and Branden Grace, as Spieth makes his return to tournament play following his Masters loss.
And if you want bombers off the tee, the trio of Bubba Watson, Rory McIlory and Dustin Johnson tee off at 1:58 p.m.
What: The Players Championship
Where: TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
When: Thursday-Sunday, May 12-15
Purse: $10.5 million
Defending Champion: Rickie Fowler (-12, 2-under in four-hole aggregate playoff)
TV SCHEDULE
Thursday: 1-7 p.m. EST (Golf Channel)
Friday: 1-7 p.m. EST (Golf Channel)
Saturday: 2-7 p.m. EST (NBC)
Sunday: 2-7 p.m. EST (NBC)
TEE TIMES (All Times EST)
7:15 a.m. – Ricky Barnes, Jason Kokrak, Patton Kizzire (1st tee)
7:15 a.m. – Jason Gore, Graham DeLaet, Francesco Molinari (10th tee)
7:26 a.m. – Cameron Tringale, Daniel Summerhays, Will Wilcox (1st tee)
7:26 a.m. – Johnson Wagner, Jerry Kelly, Kevin Chappell(10th tee)
7:37 a.m. – Freddie Jacobsen, Chad Campbell, Matthew Fitzpatrick (1st tee)
7:37 a.m.– Gary Woodland, David Hearn, Hudson Swafford (10th tee)
7:48 a.m. – Shane Lowry, Troy Merritt, Paul Casey (1st tee)
7:48 a.m. – Matt Every, Webb Simpson, Ernie Els (10th tee)
7:59 a.m. – J.B. Holmes, Brian Harman, Chesson Hadley (1st tee)
7:59 a.m. – Tony Finau, Peter Malnati, K.J. Choi (10th tee)
8:10 a.m. – Jim Herman, Emiliano Grillo, Brooks Koepka (1st tee)
8:10 a.m. – Danny Willett, Brandt Snedeker, Justin Rose (10th tee)
8:21 a.m. – James Hahn, Bill Haas, Ryan Moore (1st tee)
8:21 a.m. – Martin Kaymer, Henrik Stenson, Phil Mickelson (10th tee)
8:32 a.m. – Charley Hoffman, Danny Lee, Chris Kirk (1st tee)
8:32 a.m. – Russell Knox, Jim Furyk, Billy Horschel (10th tee)
8:43 a.m. – J.J. Henry, Steven Bowditch, Nick Taylor (1st tee)
8:43 a.m. – Branden Grace, Jason Day, Jordan Spieth (10th tee)
8:54 a.m. – Jason Dufner, Kevin Kisner, Luke Donald (1st tee)
8:54 a.m. – Chris Stroud, Daniel Berger, Bernd Wiesberger (10th tee)
9:05 a.m. – Martin Laird, Jhonattan Vegas, Si Woo Kim (1st tee)
9:05 a.m. – Ian Poulter, Marc Leishman, Bernhard Langer (10th tee)
9:16 a.m. – Chez Reavie, Kyle Reifers, Zac Blair (1st tee)
9:16 a.m. – Brendan Steele, Jamie Lovemark, Jeff Overton (10th tee)
12:30 p.m. – Kevin Na, Morgan Hoffmann, Chad Collins (1st tee)
12:30 p.m. – Boo Weekley, Shawn Stefani, Andres Gonzales(10th tee)
12:41 p.m. – Jonas Blixt, Sean O'Hair, Adam Hadwin (1st tee)
12:41 p.m. – Ryan Palmer, Patrick Rodgers, Carlos Ortiz (10th tee)
12:52 p.m. – Carl Pettersson, George McNeill, Jason Bohn (1st tee)
12:52 p.m. – Bryce Molder, William McGirt, Colt Knost (10th tee)
1:03 p.m. – Robert Streb, Kevin Streelman, Brendon Todd (1st tee)
1:03 p.m. – Scott Piercy, Ben Martin, Hunter Mahan (10th tee)
1:14 p.m. – Fabian Gomez, Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen (1st tee)
1:14 p.m. – Vaughn Taylor, Matt Jones, Vijay Singh (10th tee)
1:25 p.m. – Zach Johnson, Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia (1st tee)
1:25 p.m. – Brian Stuard, David Lingmerth, John Senden (10th tee)
1:36 p.m. – Adam Scott, Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar (1st tee)
1:36 p.m. – Justin Thomas, Davis Love III, Alex Cejka (10th tee)
1:47 p.m. – Hideki Matsuyama, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen (1st tee)
1:47 p.m. – Smylie Kaufman, Jimmy Walker, Russell Henley (10th tee)
1:58 p.m. – Bubba Watson, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson (1st tee)
1:58 p.m. – Camilo Villegas, Harris English, Keegan Bradley (10th tee)
2:09 p.m. – Scott Brown, Harold Varner III, Byeong-Hun An (1st tee)
2:09 p.m. – Brendan de Jonge, Erik Compton, Soren Kjeldsen (10th tee)
2:20 p.m. – Ken Duke, Steve Wheatcroft, Andy Sullivan (1st tee)
2:20 p.m. – John Huh, Spencer Levin, Rafa Cabrera Bello (10th tee)
2:31 p.m. – Mark Wilson, Charles Howell III, Jon Curran (1st tee)
2:31 p.m. – Greg Owen, Scott Pinckney, Kiradech Aphibarnrat (10th tee)
Golf-The cancer of slow play at professional level.
Reuters; By Mark Lamport-Stokes, Editing by Frank Pingue
Rounds of golf that can take a total of five hours or more; players who are diplomatically described as being "methodical" or "deliberate"; inordinate waiting times on tee boxes for greens or fairways to clear.
The cancer of slow play is a problem that affects every professional tour around the world, and a variety of methods has been implemented in a bid to resolve the issue.
On the U.S. PGA Tour, players are fined $20,000 if they get 'put on the clock' for slow play a minimum of 10 times during a single season.
In January, the European Tour introduced a new 'monitoring penalty' which can lead to one stroke being docked from the score of a multiple offender.
Five players were given penalties by the European Tour after the first three events where the policy was implemented, among them American world number two Jordan Spieth who is renowned for his 'deliberate' play.
For England's world number 10 Justin Rose, the problem of slow play is more of a general traffic issue than a problem caused by individual players.
"If you try and drive home in no time at all during rush hour, you're obviously not going to be able to do it," Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champion, told Reuters.
"With 156 guys on the golf course you're going to run into slow play, not because we're playing slowly but because of the traffic on the golf course.
"Over the years, the PGA Tour literally and metaphorically has brought the ropes in tighter and tighter upon us. They're trying to give fans and sponsors more and more access and a greater experience, so with that comes more distractions too."
A 10-MINUTE SAVING
If concerted efforts were made by players to complete rounds more quickly, Rose felt that an improvement of only 10 minutes, at best, would be achieved over 18 holes.
"And really is that worth the whole hassle of what it would entail?" the Englishman said. "Do we need to monitor and do we need to keep on top of guys? Absolutely, but I think the real solution is the traffic on the golf course.
"On the right kind of golf course, like Colonial, guys are whipping it around in three hours and 20 minutes, even less than that, and that's with guys grinding (taking time) on three or four-foot putts."
American Brandt Snedeker, a fast-talking winner of eight PGA Tour titles who is known for his speedy play on the course, has long felt that rounds taking five hours or more was "unacceptable" at the professional level.
"Granted there are a lot of tough golf courses and we've got big fields and we need to get around," Snedeker said. "I understand that, and the Tour staff does a great job of trying to make the golf course play as fast as possible.
"But the way our policy is set up, there is no real penalty for playing slow. You might get fined a little bit of money, but guys put aside that money at the beginning of the year knowing it's going to happen and they go ahead and do it.
"That's a flawed policy if guys are okay with that. We need to have a policy where if you break a rule there is a penalty attached to it. Our policy should be a stroke penalty. If you have two bad times in a round, then you get the shot penalty."
The last time a player was handed a one-stroke penalty during a regular PGA Tour event was 21 years ago at the Honda Classic where Glen Day was docked for taking too much time.
Like Snedeker, Rose believes the re-introduction of a one-shot policy would have the greatest effect in speeding up play.
"I'm not sure that an end-of-season fine is the fairest rule but, at the same time, you would be very unlucky to be timed 10 times by being in bad groups if you're not the slow player," said Rose.
"I think docking shots is the way that guys will get the most afraid."
NASCAR: Power Rankings: Chasing Kyle Busch.
By Nick Bromberg
(Photo/yahoosports.com)
1. Kyle Busch (LW: 1): It's fair to say Busch had the second or third-fastest car throughout the duration of Saturday night's race. He wasn't in the same zip code as the guy who is a couple spots below, but was in position to capitalize when trouble happened. And it happened. We mentioned that Kansas has tormented Busch on Saturday night while writing about his win. Well, that win was his third-straight top-five finish at the track.
2. Kevin Harvick (LW: 4): If it wasn't for a small piece of debris that cracked the front of Harvick's splitter, does he catch Kyle Busch? He certainly thought so after the race. And if you're wondering just what Harvick was referencing, here's what his crew chief Rodney Childers tweeted after the race.
"Well poop.. Hit a piece of debris with about 14 to go and just killed it.. Great job by @KevinHarvick and the guys."
~ Rodney Childers @RodneyChilders4
9:53 PM - 7 May 2016
Yes, that small damage might have prevented a win. Can we get these cars a whole hell of a lot less sensitive?
3. Martin Truex Jr. (LW: 8): Here's that guy with the fastest car throughout the race. Truex led a race-high 172 laps and was looking like the surefire winner. Well, as surefire as you can think about a driver named Martin Truex Jr. or Matt Kenseth dominating a race in 2016. Truex ended up 14th after recovering from that fluky pit road incident with the lug nut and he's going to win a race soon. It's simply a matter of how soon.
4. Kurt Busch (LW: 5): Busch is a machine so far this season. He's been incredibly consistent and his third-place finish was his ninth top 10 in 11 races. If you're making a list of title favorites through the first near-third of the season, Busch doesn't top the list because he doesn't have a win. But given that he's one of three drivers with nine top 10s, he shouldn't be any lower than third or fourth.
5. Chase Elliott (LW: 3): Elliott is fifth on that top 10 list after his Kansas finish (ninth) was his seventh top 10 of the season. He's now 10th in the points standings and barring a summer swoon is looking like a lock to make the Chase (oh, the puns) on points. Of course, he could go out and win a race too.
6. Brad Keselowski (LW: 2): Keselowski's car getting loose under Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson was certainly one of the highlights of the night. As Keselowski spun, so did Hamlin, who had driven in between Keselowski and Larson in an attempt to make up the track position he'd lost by speeding twice on pit road. Keselowski somehow escaped damage in the crash (Hamlin, Larson and Joey Logano all had severely crippled cars) and came back to finish 10th.
7. Carl Edwards (LW: 6): Does Edwards overdrive at Kansas? We're not sure that the answer is yes, but it seems like a fair question to ask given how much he wants to win at the track just two hours from his hometown of Columbia, Missouri. Edwards scraped the wall early and had to pit under green for a vibration but was able to get the laps back and finished 11th.
8. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 7): Yeah, Jimmie Johnson finished 17th on Saturday. Kind of surprising, no? Johnson qualified 15th and never really made a challenge for the lead, though the finish is a bit misleading. Johnson sped on pit road during his final pit stop of the day. Had he not committed the violation, he probably would have finished somewhere in the neighborhood of Elliott.
9. Austin Dillon (LW: 11): Dillon was the fastest of the Richard Childress Racing trio and finished sixth, one spot ahead of teammate Ryan Newman. Meanwhile, teammate Paul Menard finished 40th after retiring less than halfway through the race because of an engine failure. Dillon is now eighth in the points standings, two points ahead of...
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 10): ... this guy, who finished 15th at Kansas. It felt like the four Hendrick cars were always between 6th and 18th or so throughout the entire race and that's where Junior ended up. While Johnson was 17th, Kasey Kahne was in between Junior and Johnson thanks to a dented hood that blunted his drive towards the front.
11. Matt Kenseth (LW: NR): Hey, nothing terrible happened to Kenseth. The 2003 champion finished fourth and is somehow 14th in the standings despite having the wackiest year of anyone in the series so far. Perhaps we should start a pool of who gets a win first: Truex or Kenseth?
12. Ryan Blaney (LW: NR): Blaney is 48 points behind Elliott in the points standings but is 22 points behind him in the Rookie of the Year standings. Yes, the ROY scoring is different than the points system, and yes we think it seems nonsensical too. Blaney was the highest finishing Penske (oops, Wood Brothers) car at Kansas as he was fifth.
Lucky Dog: After finishing 12th, Tony Stewart is 12 points back of Michael Annett, a driver who has started all 11 races this season. Stewart has three starts.
The DNF: Poor Menard.
Dropped Out: Trevor Bayne, Joey Logano
Should Chase be tweaked to greater incentivize the regular season?
By Nick Bromberg
(Photo/yahoosports.com)
As a NASCAR fan, you've probably made a joke or 30 about NASCAR changing the Chase format.
After all, those jokes are based in some truth. Since the Chase was formed in 2004, it's been tweaked multiple times. Hell, it's been changed, on average, about every three years. And with 2016 being the third year of the elimination-style format of the current Chase, the jokes can be especially appropriate.
The most logical way the Chase could change in the near future is with the way regular-season excellence is rewarded. When speaking with reporters, Keselowski - already a two-time winner in 2016 - referenced a lack of motivation that can come from teams that have won in the regular season (if you win a race in the first 26 races of the season, you're practically guaranteed a Chase berth).
Via NBC Sports:
“I think clearly the sport is lacking some motivation once you’ve won a race,’’ Keselowski told reporters Monday at Team Penske’s shop. “I don’t think there’s any question that most of the competitors in the sport feel like that is not advantageous for a product we’re trying to put on and have floated some ideas to level that back out that maybe some people will like and maybe some won’t. We’ll have to see.
“At the end of the day, it’s never a good thing to remove motivation from the field.’’
Keselowski is incredibly correct. NASCAR billed the win-and-in Chase format as a way for drivers to always give 100 percent in the pursuit of victory. And while internal drive and other motivations keep a team from slacking off, it's easy to see how urgency can disappear for a driver and team that have multiple victories before the summer begins.
We're not sure what the "some ideas" entail, so we're going to float some of our own. Here's what we think they could be:
• Give the driver at the top of the points standings some sort of a bonus in the Chase. That bonus can be automatic exemption into the second round of the Chase or even 15 bonus points or so to make missing the first-round cutoff much harder. Keselowski said a bye made sense, especially given seeding formats in other sports.
• Reward drivers with multiple wins with bonus points. Right now, a driver with two wins in the regular season starts the Chase with three more points than a driver with one win.
• Bonus points for wins should carry throughout the Chase until the final round. At the beginning of the second and third rounds, the remaining drivers start with the same number of points. If a driver has four wins – even if one came in the first round of the Chase – he should have 12 extra points added to his tally for the start of the second round.
• Something else sensical that we haven't thought of.
We're not sure what the "some ideas" entail, so we're going to float some of our own. Here's what we think they could be:
• Give the driver at the top of the points standings some sort of a bonus in the Chase. That bonus can be automatic exemption into the second round of the Chase or even 15 bonus points or so to make missing the first-round cutoff much harder. Keselowski said a bye made sense, especially given seeding formats in other sports.
• Reward drivers with multiple wins with bonus points. Right now, a driver with two wins in the regular season starts the Chase with three more points than a driver with one win.
• Bonus points for wins should carry throughout the Chase until the final round. At the beginning of the second and third rounds, the remaining drivers start with the same number of points. If a driver has four wins – even if one came in the first round of the Chase – he should have 12 extra points added to his tally for the start of the second round.
• Something else sensical that we haven't thought of.
With the Drivers Council having more influence when it comes to NASCAR governance, it's not much of a stretch to see changes to the Chase happen – and therefore your jokes to have some more relevance. But NASCAR CEO Brian France, as he is apt to do, poured a bit of cold water on any speculation that the Chase could be reformatted to help a regular season driver.
“You know what’s on NASCAR’s radar? Anything that will make the racing tighter, more compelling, closer finishes and more opportunities for different drivers," France said on SiriusXM's NASCAR channel. "So whatever it is that doesn’t break the bank for our team owners in particular, then we’re going to be open to it. We’ve been clear about that."
Drivers ‘floating’ ideas on how to better reward champion of regular season.“The other side of that is they have a lot of incentive. Once you get a win in the regular season to hang it out, let loose for wins and everything else. Suddenly, if you had to have a points race within a points race, we’d have to think about what that does to that mentality that has been created that we like.”
By Dustin Long
(Photo/yahoosports.com)
Could the regular-season champion earn a bye to the second round of the Chase?
Former series champ Brad Keselowski says drivers have discussed ways to reward the points leader more after the 26-race regular season. A bye is one such idea.
The biggest benefit to the points leader after the season’s 26th race is a spot in the Chase — if they don’t have a win and are already locked in. Since the Chase debuted in 2004, the points leader after 26 races has always had at least one victory.
Keselowski, who has two victories this season, admits an early win can give a driver a new perspective on the regular season.
“I think clearly the sport is lacking some motivation once you’ve won a race,’’ Keselowski told reporters Monday at Team Penske’s shop. “I don’t think there’s any question that most of the competitors in the sport feel like that is not advantageous for a product we’re trying to put on and have floated some ideas to level that back out that maybe some people will like and maybe some won’t. We’ll have to see.
“At the end of the day, it’s never a good thing to remove motivation from the field.’’
It also seems to have impacted fans. In a conference call with industry analysts last month, an International Speedway Corp., executive said the focus on the Chase may be playing a role in fans purchasing tickets for those events instead of races earlier in the season.
Keselowski said that “most every driver, I think, would agree with some kind of regular-season bonus of real value. Right now you get three points for a win, which is something, don’t get me wrong, but it only counts for the first round.’’
Those bonus points proved pivotal for series champion Kyle Busch last year. He won four races in the regular season, giving him 12 bonus points entering the first round of the Chase. He wouldn’t have advanced to the second round, though, if he had two fewer points.
What would be a good reward for the regular-season champion?
“I think a bye is a good word for it,’’ Keselowski said. “As we’re trying to emulate other sports and major playoffs, I think it makes sense as it does for them.’’
NASCAR Chairman Brian France was asked about this Tuesday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and said: “You know what’s on NASCAR’s radar? Anything that will make the racing tighter, more compelling, closer finishes and more opportunities for different drivers. So whatever it is that doesn’t break the bank for our team owners in particular, then we’re going to be open to it. We’ve been clear about that.
“The other side of that is they have a lot of incentive. Once you get a win in the regular season to hang it out, let loose for wins and everything else. Suddenly, if you had to have a points race within a points race, we’d have to think about what that does to that mentality that has been created that we like.”
If there is a first-round bye for the regular-season champ, Keselowski was asked what would be the motivation for the driver who has that bye.
“I guess that comes down to the question would you rather see a dozen guys or so demotivated for 30-some races or 20-some races, or would you rather see one driver demotivated for three races?’’ Keselowski said. “It kind of seems like a trade-off to me that maybe values the regular season more, which is of course a higher quantity of races, and devalues the first round of the playoffs. It’s just a tradeoff. The value proposition I think is worth it.’’
Former series champ Brad Keselowski says drivers have discussed ways to reward the points leader more after the 26-race regular season. A bye is one such idea.
The biggest benefit to the points leader after the season’s 26th race is a spot in the Chase — if they don’t have a win and are already locked in. Since the Chase debuted in 2004, the points leader after 26 races has always had at least one victory.
Keselowski, who has two victories this season, admits an early win can give a driver a new perspective on the regular season.
“I think clearly the sport is lacking some motivation once you’ve won a race,’’ Keselowski told reporters Monday at Team Penske’s shop. “I don’t think there’s any question that most of the competitors in the sport feel like that is not advantageous for a product we’re trying to put on and have floated some ideas to level that back out that maybe some people will like and maybe some won’t. We’ll have to see.
“At the end of the day, it’s never a good thing to remove motivation from the field.’’
It also seems to have impacted fans. In a conference call with industry analysts last month, an International Speedway Corp., executive said the focus on the Chase may be playing a role in fans purchasing tickets for those events instead of races earlier in the season.
Keselowski said that “most every driver, I think, would agree with some kind of regular-season bonus of real value. Right now you get three points for a win, which is something, don’t get me wrong, but it only counts for the first round.’’
Those bonus points proved pivotal for series champion Kyle Busch last year. He won four races in the regular season, giving him 12 bonus points entering the first round of the Chase. He wouldn’t have advanced to the second round, though, if he had two fewer points.
What would be a good reward for the regular-season champion?
“I think a bye is a good word for it,’’ Keselowski said. “As we’re trying to emulate other sports and major playoffs, I think it makes sense as it does for them.’’
NASCAR Chairman Brian France was asked about this Tuesday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and said: “You know what’s on NASCAR’s radar? Anything that will make the racing tighter, more compelling, closer finishes and more opportunities for different drivers. So whatever it is that doesn’t break the bank for our team owners in particular, then we’re going to be open to it. We’ve been clear about that.
“The other side of that is they have a lot of incentive. Once you get a win in the regular season to hang it out, let loose for wins and everything else. Suddenly, if you had to have a points race within a points race, we’d have to think about what that does to that mentality that has been created that we like.”
If there is a first-round bye for the regular-season champ, Keselowski was asked what would be the motivation for the driver who has that bye.
“I guess that comes down to the question would you rather see a dozen guys or so demotivated for 30-some races or 20-some races, or would you rather see one driver demotivated for three races?’’ Keselowski said. “It kind of seems like a trade-off to me that maybe values the regular season more, which is of course a higher quantity of races, and devalues the first round of the playoffs. It’s just a tradeoff. The value proposition I think is worth it.’’
SOCCER: West Ham United 3-2 Manchester United: A fitting send-off for Upton Park.
By Nicholas Mendola
(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
The Boleyn Ground got a fitting send-off in a highly-entertaining affair that hurt Manchester United’s Top Four hopes in a big way.
Diafra Sakho, Winston Reid and Michail Antonio scored in a thrilling 3-2 win for West Ham that moves the Irons to within a point of fifth-place United.
Anthony Martial scored a pair of goals, the second one a gorgeous one.
It’s zero surprise that the Boleyn Ground was full of bubbles and noise as the final match kicked off, and the buzz about the ground was palpable.
And the Hammers gave their supporters an added boost 10-minutes when Sakho sent his shot off of Daley Blind and spinning past a diving David De Gea. 1-0 to the hosts.
Andy Carroll had a 1v1 with De Gea, the big Englishman dribbling alone for 30 or more yards before hitting his low shot right into the goalkeeper’s legs.
Michail Antonio headed a ball home moments later off a deflected cross, but the linesman pointed to the corner as its flight went out of play post-deflection.
"1 – Manchester United have managed 1 first-half shot on target in total in their last 3 Premier League away games (0 v West Ham). Tepid.
Diafra Sakho, Winston Reid and Michail Antonio scored in a thrilling 3-2 win for West Ham that moves the Irons to within a point of fifth-place United.
Anthony Martial scored a pair of goals, the second one a gorgeous one.
It’s zero surprise that the Boleyn Ground was full of bubbles and noise as the final match kicked off, and the buzz about the ground was palpable.
And the Hammers gave their supporters an added boost 10-minutes when Sakho sent his shot off of Daley Blind and spinning past a diving David De Gea. 1-0 to the hosts.
Andy Carroll had a 1v1 with De Gea, the big Englishman dribbling alone for 30 or more yards before hitting his low shot right into the goalkeeper’s legs.
Michail Antonio headed a ball home moments later off a deflected cross, but the linesman pointed to the corner as its flight went out of play post-deflection.
"1 – Manchester United have managed 1 first-half shot on target in total in their last 3 Premier League away games (0 v West Ham). Tepid.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 10, 2016"
Despite West Ham dominated the first half, it wasted major chances to build on its lead and saw the score line go 1-1 when Marcus Rashford played a no-look pass to a streaking Juan Mata and the Spaniard passed across the six for Martial to pass home.
That wasn’t a turning point for United, no, not at all. West Ham pushed forward with fervor, and Dimitri Payet lorded over a prime free kick in the 71st minute, 22 yards from goal. He sent it over the frame.
Then, chaos (in a good way). Antonio took his chance well from inside the 18 before Martial scored a stunner from an improbable angle.
That’s when that longtime Hammer, New Zealand defender Winston Reid, redirected a ball in traffic that beat De Gea to give us our final score.
Despite West Ham dominated the first half, it wasted major chances to build on its lead and saw the score line go 1-1 when Marcus Rashford played a no-look pass to a streaking Juan Mata and the Spaniard passed across the six for Martial to pass home.
That wasn’t a turning point for United, no, not at all. West Ham pushed forward with fervor, and Dimitri Payet lorded over a prime free kick in the 71st minute, 22 yards from goal. He sent it over the frame.
Then, chaos (in a good way). Antonio took his chance well from inside the 18 before Martial scored a stunner from an improbable angle.
That’s when that longtime Hammer, New Zealand defender Winston Reid, redirected a ball in traffic that beat De Gea to give us our final score.
"In West Ham’s 2,398th and final home game at Upton Park, the Hammers end a 14-game league winless streak against Man United. #WHUFC #COYI
— Paul Carr (@PCarrESPN) May 10, 2016"
Premier League Wednesday preview: Sunderland, Liverpool have glorious chances.
By Nicholas Mendola
There are three midweek matches in the Premier League, after which all 20 teams will be even in the matches played column ahead of Sunday’s final day.
Perhaps no club has a bigger opportunity than Sunderland, who can seal Newcastle United and Norwich City’s fates as teams relegated to the Championship.
Liverpool, however might argue that their Wednesday match bears a similar import. No, the Reds can’t drop into the bottom tier, but they can keep up an unlikely Top Five charge.
Sunderland vs. Everton — 2:45 p.m. ET on NBCSN and online via Live Extra
Big Sam’s Black Cats are looking very strong, defying the relegation odds by rising out of the drop zone with a win over Chelsea last week. Now they can banish those fears for good by scooping up three points at home against the visiting and stumbling Toffees.
It’s looking increasingly likely that Everton, which harbored Top Five hopes at the beginning of the season, will not sniff the Top Ten. Can the Merseyside club find any semblance of desperation against its foes?
Liverpool vs. Chelsea — 2:45 p.m. ET online via Live Extra
If Jurgen Klopp‘s club can hold serve at home against Chelsea, the Reds will leapfrog Southampton and keep fifth place an option. It’s true that Liverpool is headed to the Champions League if it wins the Europa League final against Sevilla, but Klopp will fancy finishing as high as possible and the Anfield set would adore finishing above Manchester United. It’s not unthinkable. In Chelsea’s case, it cannot finish any higher than its current ninth place.
Norwich City vs. Watford — 2:45 p.m. ET online via Live Extra
The Carrow Road faithful will be hoping that Sunderland draws or loses and Norwich picks up a win. Then, and only then, can the Canaries start to dream of a Sunday great escape at Everton. As for Watford, the Hornets have struggled on the road as of late: one win and four losses with two goals scored in their last five away from Vicarage Road.
Brazilian soccer star's Olympic warning: 'Stay home'. Wow!!! This isn't good...!?!?!?!?!
By Eric Adelson
By Nicholas Mendola
(Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
There are three midweek matches in the Premier League, after which all 20 teams will be even in the matches played column ahead of Sunday’s final day.
Perhaps no club has a bigger opportunity than Sunderland, who can seal Newcastle United and Norwich City’s fates as teams relegated to the Championship.
Liverpool, however might argue that their Wednesday match bears a similar import. No, the Reds can’t drop into the bottom tier, but they can keep up an unlikely Top Five charge.
Sunderland vs. Everton — 2:45 p.m. ET on NBCSN and online via Live Extra
Big Sam’s Black Cats are looking very strong, defying the relegation odds by rising out of the drop zone with a win over Chelsea last week. Now they can banish those fears for good by scooping up three points at home against the visiting and stumbling Toffees.
It’s looking increasingly likely that Everton, which harbored Top Five hopes at the beginning of the season, will not sniff the Top Ten. Can the Merseyside club find any semblance of desperation against its foes?
Liverpool vs. Chelsea — 2:45 p.m. ET online via Live Extra
If Jurgen Klopp‘s club can hold serve at home against Chelsea, the Reds will leapfrog Southampton and keep fifth place an option. It’s true that Liverpool is headed to the Champions League if it wins the Europa League final against Sevilla, but Klopp will fancy finishing as high as possible and the Anfield set would adore finishing above Manchester United. It’s not unthinkable. In Chelsea’s case, it cannot finish any higher than its current ninth place.
Norwich City vs. Watford — 2:45 p.m. ET online via Live Extra
The Carrow Road faithful will be hoping that Sunderland draws or loses and Norwich picks up a win. Then, and only then, can the Canaries start to dream of a Sunday great escape at Everton. As for Watford, the Hornets have struggled on the road as of late: one win and four losses with two goals scored in their last five away from Vicarage Road.
Brazilian soccer star's Olympic warning: 'Stay home'. Wow!!! This isn't good...!?!?!?!?!
By Eric Adelson
Brazilian soccer star's Olympic warning: 'Stay home' (Photo/yahoosports.com)
Some tourists gathered along a winding path here on a Thursday in early May, watching the waves from the Atlantic, hoping for a big one. The surf was so high that red flags were planted on the beach below, so even the cariocas – the locals – stayed on the sand. It was only a couple of weeks ago that one of the waves leapt up to a newly built portion of this path, and crumpled it like a wet cracker. At least two people died; their bodies were fished out of the surf by helicopters and laid onto the beach below.
The tourists hung out near a food cart with a bright umbrella, and the owner stepped outside and got a visitor's attention. He gestured with his hand in an up-and-over motion. It was clear what he meant: every now and then a wave crashed over the ledge, and where the tourists were standing wasn't quite safe. He returned to work; the tourists stayed where they were. The waves kept coming, higher and higher.
Brazil is a precarious place these days.
"Things are getting uglier here every day," Brazilian soccer star Rivaldo wrote on his Instagram account Sunday. "I advise everyone with plans to visit Brazil for the Olympics in Rio – to stay home. You'll be putting your life at risk here. ... Only God can change the situation in our Brazil."
The situation in Brazil right now looks like this: The economy is crashing and no one knows quite what to do about it. The Zika virus has caused paralysis and harrowing birth defects. The Olympics are less than three months away and that will bring security concerns. It will also bring some embarrassment, as the local Guanabara Bay is filthy and rancid. The beach surrounding it has no people, but rather empty cans and vials and diapers. It was supposed to be cleaned; it might never be cleaned.
Perhaps most troubling of all: an impeachment process in the midst of a corruption crisis leaves Brazil's political future completely uncertain. Plan A has failed and there is no Plan B. When the Olympic flame arrived here on May 3, it was met by dueling protests – one side against a "coup" and another in favor of impeachment. A schoolteacher who watched the torch relay voiced a common wish: new elections. But who is worthy to win? No one has inspired any trust. The most popular politician is someone nicknamed "Tiririca." He's a professional clown. His campaign slogan was, "It can't get any worse."
It feels like it will only get worse.
Each of the troubles facing this city and this country seems to go back to a centuries-old interaction between man and nature. Whether it's the mosquitos or the bay or the cycling path, Rio is the perpetual collision of the forces we apply and the forces applied upon us. Whether it was the coffee industry or the gold rush, there has always been a push and pull, nature subdued and then nature subduing. An enormous rubber boom in the Amazon 100 years ago brought prosperity and then, when it petered out, poverty. "Brazil," after all, is named after a type of wood from a tree that was nearly rendered extinct because of man's thirst to cut it down.
In nearby Barra, the new Olympic venues sit on swampland, and a two-minute drive from the mammoth sports complexes puts you in what looks like a rainforest. The athletes, when they arrive, will notice the beauty of the place but also the acrid smell of the marsh. Nature is never going to let go, despite all the cranes and backhoes and dirt trucks. And no matter who is the next president or what he or she promises, a lot of the future of this nation will rest on the ability to harvest what's in the ground or under the sea.
Depending on the day or the year or the decade, man is either bold or arrogant to push back. The collapse of the $12 million cycling path brought a harsher spotlight on the rush to build that project and others, including a new roadway toward the Olympic venues in Barra. What else in Rio is vulnerable to waves or weather?
Yet there are other works here that speak to the power of man. There's a mammoth cement shelf up on a mountain, holding up a chunk of rock that looks primed to fall and cause major damage to the downtown. From the city below, it looks incredible, and yet it protects people to such an extent that they probably never notice it. The gondola to Sugarloaf and the tunnels between neighborhoods and even the Christ the Redeemer statue are other instances – feats of engineering and sheer will. The venues, though they may end up being detested, are still triumphs.
When the Games start, storylines will emerge: someone breaks a record, someone fails a drug test, someone showboats, someone cries. The drama keeps us interested, no matter what the host city. But before the Olympics were about Wheaties boxes, they were about collisions: man against nature. How fast can a man swim? How high can he jump? How far could he throw a stick or a ball? What can a man or a woman overcome?
This is the Olympic story and it's also Rio's story. There are limits and we test them. When we fail, we feel overwhelmed and weak. When we succeed, we feel invincible. This city has felt both extremes, exemplified both extremes. It has harnessed nature and has been overmatched by it. This will be the first time South America has hosted the Games, and yet they have been here all along.
Nothing is ever guaranteed in this precarious place. Yet still we will visit, and still we will gather at the precipice to watch.
NCAAFB: 2016 FCS vs. FBS: Ohio Valley Conference.
By CRAIG HALEY
(Photo/yahoosports.com)
Cinderella is allowed out more often than in the month of March. During college football season, FCS programs are adept at drawing national attention as they seek upsets of the larger FBS.
Many of the games are played during the first few weekends of the season. This year, there are 112 FCS vs. FBS matchups, and the FCS hopes to raise their nine combined wins from last season.
Ohio Valley Conference teams will be involved in 13 of the matchups:
The Matchups - Austin Peay: Troy (Sept. 3) and Kentucky (Nov. 19); Eastern Illinois: Miami of Ohio (Sept. 10); Eastern Kentucky: Purdue (Sept. 3) and Ball State (Sept. 17); Jacksonville State: LSU (Sept. 10); Murray State: Illinois (Sept. 3); Southeast Missouri State: Memphis (Sept. 3); Tennessee State: Vanderbilt (Oct. 22); Tennessee Tech: Tennessee (Nov. 5); UT Martin: Cincinnati (Sept. 1), Hawaii (Sept. 10) and Georgia State (Oct. 22).
Glamour Game - Jacksonville State at LSU. The 2015 FCS national runner-up Gamecocks are venturing into the SEC West Division for the second straight year. Last September, they vaulted to the No. 1 ranking after losing in overtime at Auburn.
Upset Alert - Eastern Kentucky at Ball State. EKU quarterback Bennie Coney, coming off a big junior season, began his college career on the FBS level at Cincinnati.
Notable - All nine OVC programs will have at least one FBS matchup. UT Martin is one of only two FCS programs to be playing three FBS opponents (South Carolina State is the other one) … New OVC coaches debuting against the FBS: Austin Peay's Will Healy (Troy) and Eastern Kentucky's Mark Elder (Purdue) … This is the seventh consecutive season Austin Peay's struggling program will play multiple FBS opponents. The Kentucky game is a first-ever meeting … Nashville programs Tennessee State and Vanderbilt have only met once before - Vandy winning 38-9 in 2008 - but they have set a two-game series for this year and in 2018 … Having played the likes of Oregon, TCU, Wisconsin and Houston in recent years, former Tennessee Tech coach Watson Brown joked when the Tennessee game was announced, "It seems like Mark (athletic director Mark Wilson) waits until a team gets really good and he schedules them."
NOTE: Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee is my Alma Mater and it should be noted that I'm not bashful about highlighting them.
Marion P. Jelks, Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Director
Bret Bielema wonders if undrafted underclassmen should get to return.
By Nick Bromberg
(Photo/yahoosports.com)
Should underclassmen who declare for the NFL draft but go undrafted get an opportunity to go back to school?
It's a question that Arkansas coach Bret Bielema is thinking about. Arkansas guard Denver Kirkland declared for the 2016 NFL draft but wasn't selected in any of the seven rounds. He's signed as an undrafted free agent with the Oakland Raiders, but is in a much more tenuous spot with the team than he'd be had he been a draft pick.
Bielema openly talked about Kirkland's predicament and the idea that underclassmen who declare but aren't selected should get an opportunity to come back to school and raise their draft stock on Sports Talk with Bo Mattingly on KQSM in Arkansas on Monday. He said that he's contacting other coaches who had players in Kirkland's situation to see if there's something that can be pitched.
"I reached out, I haven’t touched base with [Auburn coach Gus Malzahn] yet — Gus had two [underclassmen] that didn’t go drafted — I think [Dan Mullen] did as well at Mississippi State," Bielema said. "I know Ohio State had a couple as well. So those coaches, I’m reaching out to them and trying to put together some collective thoughts on how to approach it ... Now I think there’s some kids that had to move on. Maybe it’s academic reasons, or personal reasons or everyone’s got their own story. But if you’ve got a guy like Denver who’s on progression to graduate, he’s doing all the right things, and he just needs another year."
The NFL draft declaration deadline for underclassmen is in January, not long after the College Football Playoff concludes. Coaches like Nick Saban have referenced the short timeline for non-seniors to submit for grades from the NFL draft council and perhaps Bielema's idea could be incorporated into a pushback of the deadline.
Or maybe the NFL draft process can take a lesson from the NBA one. College basketball players now have the ability to declare for the draft and come back to school after the NBA combine as long as they don't sign with an agent. Having a similar process in place for football players could help players make better decisions for their professional and financial futures. How could the NCAA argue against better chances of success?
NCAABKB: John Calipari's shots at Duke stoke an already smoldering rivalry.
By Jeff Eisenberg
At a time when his program is battling Duke for numerous elite prospects, Kentucky coach John Calipari has chosen to take the fight public.
Buried in the middle of Calipari's latest blog post on his website is a thinly veiled shot at the Blue Devils and their typical sales pitch to top recruits.
"I refuse to go in a home and paint a picture saying things like, 'If you come with us you’ll be taken care of for the rest of your life by the program and by our alums' even though you may only be in school for a year or two," Calipari wrote. "How preposterous does that sound? What if I say that same thing and the young man decides to transfer for one reason or another? Does that still hold true that we’re going to take care of them the rest of their lives?
"Our approach is to give them the fishing rod and the lures to help them catch fish, not to just give you the fish. I want players to earn everything they get here and to feel that they’ve built their own self-esteem and confidence through demonstrated performance, that they’ve competed with other really good players, yet did it in a way that they remained great teammates. I want them to be brothers and build their own contacts and Rolodex in life. We will always be here to help, but they do not need to be beholden to any of us to use our contacts to help them."
While the words "Duke" and "Mike Krzyzewski" may be absent from the above paragraphs, there's little doubt the Blue Devils are the program that Calipari is referencing. For proof, check out how top 10 Class of 2017 prospects Hamidou Diallo and Wendell Carter described Duke's recruiting pitch in recent interviews with the Louisville Courier-Journal and 247Sports respectively.
Said Diallo, "Duke's [pitch] was "if I come to Duke, I will be set for life."
Said Carter, "Going to Duke, you’re pretty much set for life as a student and an athlete.”
The reference to a player transferring is no coincidence either. It was only a few weeks ago that former five-star point guard Derryck Thornton left Duke after just one season because his family was unhappy with how he was used in the Blue Devils' offense and felt he was not showcased as much as promised during the recruiting process.
Publicly taking shots at a rival program may not endear Calipari to anyone in Durham, but it's undeniably great theater for the rest of us. Kentucky and Duke are college basketball's two premier recruiting superpowers and the two leading contenders to be atop the preseason polls next November. If the buildup to next season includes some verbal sparring between Calipari and Krzyzewski, that can only help a sport that too often doesn't crack the news cycle until after the Super Bowl.
In this case, Calipari is speaking directly to undecided Class of 2016 big man Marques Bolden and to the handful of top 2017 prospects considering both Duke and Kentucky. Bolden, a highly coveted 6-foot-10 center from DeSoto, Texas, will almost certainly choose either the Blue Devils or the Wildcats whenever he announces his college destination later this spring.
There's one passage in Calipari's blog entry that appears to be a message specifically for Bolden. In it, Calipari tries one last time to make Bolden see the possibilities if he joins next season's Wildcats.
"I say all this with recruiting not quite finished," Calipari said. "Why not be the best rebounding team? Why not be the best shot-blocking team? Why not be the fastest team? Why not be an exciting offensive team that spreads the court, throws a lot of lobs and dunks a lot of balls, yet has players who can make shots?
What will be fascinating will be to see how the Duke-Kentucky war of words escalates in the future as the programs continue to battle.
Just like it's easy to find examples of players who enrolled at Duke and weren't "set for life," it's just as easy to poke holes in Calipari's pitch that coming to Kentucky instantly puts you on the fast track to the NBA. For every Karl-Anthony Towns, John Wall or Anthony Davis, there's a Skal Labissiere, Alex Poythress or Andrew or Aaron Harrison whose draft stock plummeted while they were in college.
The first response from Duke came via two well-timed tweets from Blue Devils assistant coach Jeff Capel on Monday evening. Like Calipari's blog post doesn't specifically refer to Duke, there's no mention of Kentucky, yet the context is clear.
''The value of a Duke education can never be overstated! Congrats to Duke grad, Lisa Borders, on her new job!" #Dukefam http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/article76100207.html …
~ Jeff Capel @jeffcapel
3:36 PM - 9 May 2016
True leadership...Basketball IS NOT life! Life is way more important! Glad we have a leader that teaches that!" #http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/coach-k-military-generals_us_572b9fd5e4b096e9f090b1d8 …
~ Jeff Capel @jeffcapel
7:47 PM - 9 May 2016
Stands Will Be Full for the 100th Indy 500, But Will the Starting Grid?
Stands Will Be Full for the 100th Indy 500, But Will the Starting Grid?
By Steve Cole Smith
(Photo/The Drive.com)
IndyCar may struggle to field a full grid of 33 cars despite the history being made.
The grandstand seats for the 2016 Indianapolis 500 are sold out, according to the track, for the first time in 20 years. While general admission tickets are still available in the IMS infield, the massive grandstands around the 107-year-old 2.5-mile oval, as well as all hospitality suites, will be completely filled.
“Every Indianapolis 500 is special, but the buzz surrounding the 100th running has been building for nearly a year, ever since the checkered flag fell on the 99th,” said IMS President J. Douglas Boles. “Our fans are the best in sports and their incredible support of this year’s race will make it a truly historic day for ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’”
Good news for the track and for IndyCar, but the anticipated flood of entries to be part of the historic race just isn’t happening. We may be looking at a full field of 33 cars, but just barely – it has been a long time since there was much excitement on “Bump Day,” when the field is narrowed to 33, and this year doesn’t appear to be much different.
According to Racer magazine, now that IMSA race team owner Michael Shank has curtailed his efforts to enter a car in the Indy 500, and team owner Gary Peterson and driver Sebastian Saavedra have given up on entering a car, it leaves 33 cars on Racer’s list of probables, but two of those entries remain tentative. A 34th possible entry is the Grace Autosport effort – there has been little formal news about that car, but we hear it’s on schedule.
If any of the entries are crashed beyond repair during practice and qualifying, we could still be looking at a short field, but IndyCar and the Speedway have a way of filling out the grid at the last minute, and it would be embarrassing to have fewer than 33 cars start the 100th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
He's here! Kentucky Derby champ Nyquist arrives at Pimlico.
By DAVID GINSBURG
When it comes to selecting a stall for his Kentucky Derby winner at Pimlico Race Course, trainer Doug O'Neill doesn't care much for tradition.
He'd rather go with his own tested method for success.
Unbeaten Nyquist arrived at Pimlico on Monday and was eased into Stall 24 of the Stakes Barn with six other horses trained by O'Neill.
The Kentucky Derby winner is usually kept in highly regarded Stall 40 of the Preakness Barn, home of several Triple Crown champions, including Secretariat and Seattle Slew.
O'Neill spurned Stall 40 in 2012 with Derby winner I'll Have Another, choosing instead to keep the horse in the Stakes Barn.
I'll Have Another won the Preakness, and Nyquist's handlers can only hope this horse does likewise.
''It really keeps the horses happy. It worked with I'll Have Another and we're going to do the same thing with Nyquist,'' assistant trainer Jack Sisterson said.
Nyquist improved to 8-0 after winning by 1 1/4 lengths at Churchill Downs. He will seek to make in nine a row in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness on May 21.
Nyquist was transported by plane from Kentucky on Monday afternoon. He covered the final leg of the trip with a police escort from Baltimore-Washington International Airport before being led to the barn shortly after 6:30 p.m.
It isn't often that the Derby winner arrives so soon in Baltimore, but that's what O'Neill and owner J. Paul Reddam did four years ago and the strategy proved sound.
''We can do anything with Nyquist,'' Sisterson said. ''It worked with I'll Have Another. So we kept kind of the same routine and got him over here early. He gets acclimated and he gets to turn over the stuff he'll run on.''
The plan is to go easy on the horse this week.
''He'll walk the next couple days and then we'll get him back to the track jogging,'' Sisterson said. ''Then he'll do like we've done his whole career. He jogs one day and then gallops the next.
''We won't change anything. Again, the beauty with Nyquist mentally is that whatever we put in front of him, he handles it. His whole career, we've kept him on the same training routine, and we're not going to change it now.''
Sisterson will oversee the care and training of Nyquist until O'Neill arrives on Thursday.
On
emoriesofhistory.com
1949 - The Chicago White Sox beat the Boston Red Sox 12-8. The White Sox scored in every inning.
1959 - Yogi Berra (New York Yankees) ended his streak of 148 errorless games.
1977 - Ted Turner managed an Atlanta Braves game.
1983 - President Reagan signed a proclamation making May National Amateur Baseball Month.
1985 - In Bradford, England, 56 people died when a fire engulfed the main grandstand at Bradford's soccer stadium. Over 200 were injured.
1996 - Al Leiter threw the first no-hitter in Florida Marlins history.
2003 - Rafael Palmeiro (Texas Rangers) hit his 500th career home run to become only the 19th player in baseball history to reach the mark.
2015 - The NFL announced that Tom Brady (New England Patriots) would be suspended without pay for the first four regular season games of the 2015-16 season. The suspension was for violation the NFL policy on the integrity of the game for his knowledge of under-inflated footballs after being checked by officials. It was also announced that the New England Patriots would be fined $1 million and would forfeit a 2016 first-round draft and a 2017 fourth-round selection in the NFL Draft.
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